Structure for holding a heat pipe to a base

ABSTRACT

A structure for holding a heat pipe to a base includes a base and a heat pipe. The base has a first side and an opposite second side, and is formed at a middle portion with a receiving recess, such that two sidewalls are raised from two lateral sides of the receiving recess. Each of the sidewalls has at least one projected section formed using a part material of the base, such that portions of the base adjacent to the projected sections respectively form an opening. The heat pipe is laid in the receiving recess and has a top and a bottom surface. The projected sections are bent to flatly press against the top surface of the heat pipe to firmly hold the heat pipe to the base. Since the projected sections are formed using a part material of the base, the holding structure is manufactured at largely reduced cost.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base, and more particularly to a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base that is manufactured at largely reduced cost.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The progress in the electronic technology enables various chips, such as the central processing unit (CPU), to have gradually reduced volume. Meanwhile, for the chips to process more data, the number of electronic components provided on the presently available chips is several times higher than that on the conventional chips of the same volume. When the number of electronic components on the chips increases, the heat generated by the electronic components during operation thereof also increases. For example, the heat generated by the CPU during operation thereof is high enough to burn out the whole CPU. Thus, it is always a very important issue as how to properly provide a heat dissipation device for various chips. Among others, heat pipes have become an important type of heat dissipation device.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are sectional views showing a conventional structure for holding a heat pipe 11 to a base 10. The base 10 is formed by way of aluminum extrusion and has a recess 101 located at a middle portion thereof. The recess 101 has two opposite sidewalls 102, each of which has an upper end protruded beyond the base 10 by a predetermined height to form a continuously extended projected section 104. The heat pipe 11 can be a round-sectioned heat pipe, a D-sectioned heat pipe or a flat heat pipe. After the heat pipe 11 is laid in the recess 101, the base 10 is subjected to a planarization process, so that the projected sections 104 are bent toward a centerline of the recess 101 to finally press against a top surface of the heat pipe 11. Through the planarization process, any clearance between the recess 101 and the heat pipe 11 due to their width difference is also eliminated, enabling the heat pipe 11 to be firmly held to the base 10. According to the above structure, the projected sections 104 are formed because the two sidewalls 102 of the recess 101 are upward protruded beyond the base 10. During the planarization process, the projected sections 104 are subjected to rivet pressing or stamping, which, however, does not bring the entire projected sections 104 to deform toward the centerline of the recess 101. That is, some portions of the projected sections 104 will form raised areas 105 on the surface of the base 10 after the planarization process. These raised areas 105 prevent the heat pipe 11 from closely contacting with the heat source, resulting in lowered heat transfer effect of the heat pipe 11.

Further, the projected sections 104 are upward extended portions of the two sidewalls 102 of the recess 101. This means extra material is needed to form the projected sections 104 to thereby increase the holding structure's manufacturing cost.

In brief, the prior art structure for holding the heat pipe to the base has the following disadvantages: (1) requiring higher manufacturing cost; and (2) tending to lower the heat transfer effect of the heat pipe.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop an improved structure for holding the heat pipe to the base.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base that is manufactured at largely reduced cost.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base that enables a close and firm contact between the heat pipe and the base.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base that ensures good heat transfer effect of the heat pipe.

To achieve the above and other objects, the holding structure according to the present invention includes a base and a heat pipe. The base has a first side and an opposite second side, and is formed at a middle portion with a receiving recess, such that a sidewall is raised from each of two lateral sides of the receiving recess. Each of the sidewalls has at least one upward projected section formed using a part material of the base, such that portions of the base adjacent to the projected sections respectively form an opening. The heat pipe is laid in the receiving recess and has a top surface and a bottom surface. The projected sections are bent to flatly press against the top surface of the heat pipe, so that the heat pipe is firmly held to the base.

According to the holding structure of the present invention, after the heat pipe is positioned in the receiving recess of the base, the projected sections are bent to flatly press against the top surface of the heat pipe, so that the heat pipe is firmly held to the base. Since the projected sections are formed using a part material of the base through a stamping process, no other additional element or material is needed to hold down the heat pipe. With these arrangements, the heat pipe can be more closely and tightly attached to the base and the manufacturing cost of the holding structure is largely reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1A is a sectional view of a conventional structure for holding a heat pipe to a base;

FIG. 1B is another sectional view of the holding structure of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is an assembled view of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A is an exploded perspective view of a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5B is an assembled view of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 shows the forming of a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with some preferred embodiments thereof and with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of easy to understand, elements that are the same in the preferred embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Please refer to FIGS. 2A and 2B, which are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, of a structure for holding a heat pipe to a base according to a first embodiment of the present invention. For the purpose of conciseness and clarity, the present invention is also briefly referred to as the holding structure herein. As shown, in the first embodiment, the holding structure includes a base 2 and at least one heat pipe 3. The base 2 has a first side 21 and an opposite second side 22, and is formed at a middle portion with a receiving recess 23, such that other portions of the base 2 located at two lateral sides of the receiving recess 23 form two raised open surfaces 26. A sidewall 231 is raised from either lateral side of the receiving recess 23. Each of the sidewalls 231 has at least one upward projected section 232, which is formed using a part material of the base 2, so that areas on the base 2 adjacent to the projected sections 232 respectively form an opening 24, which is extended from the first side 21 to the second side 22 to penetrate through the base 2. In the illustrated first embodiment, the openings 24 are formed on the two open surfaces 26.

The base 2 is shaped through a mechanical process. In the embodiments of the present invention, the mechanical process is stamping.

The heat pipe 3 has a top surface 31 and a bottom surface 32. When the heat pipe 3 is laid in the receiving recess 23, the top surface 31 is flush with the first side 21 of the base 2 at the two open surfaces 26, and the projected sections 232 can be inward bent to flatly press against the top surface 31. In the embodiments of the present invention, the heat pipe 3 is shown as a flat heat pipe.

According to the present invention, the heat pipe 3 can be held to the base 2 directly by a mechanical process, such as stamping or rolling. Alternatively, the heat pipe 3 is first mechanically flattened and then positioned in the receiving recess 23 of the base 2. Thereafter, the projected sections 232 on the sidewalls 231 of the receiving recess 23 are pressed to flatly contact with the top surface 31 of the heat pipe 3, so that the heat pipe 3 is closely and firmly held to the base 2. It is noted the projected sections 232 are formed by stamping the base 2. That is, the projected sections 232 are formed using a part material of the base 2 instead of using extra material. Therefore, with the present invention, the heat pipe 3 can be closely and firmly held to the base 2 without the need of using other element or extra material to form the projected sections 232, enabling the holding structure to have largely reduced overall weight and manufacturing cost.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the second embodiment is generally structurally similar to the first embodiment, but has more projected sections 232 formed on the sidewalls 231, compared to the first embodiment. It is understood the number of the projected sections 232 can be adjusted according to actual need in use mainly to more firmly hold the heat pipe 3 to the base 2. FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the third embodiment is generally structurally similar to the second embodiment, except that, in the third embodiment, the projected sections 232 are round in shape. It is understood the projected sections 232 can be differently shaped without being limited to any particular configurations. For example, the projected sections 232 can be rectangular, round, triangular in shape or be any other geometric shapes. However, in both of the second and the third embodiment, the projected sections 232 are still formed using a part material of the base 2, particularly the open surfaces 26, which not only enables close and firm holding of the heat pipe 3 to the base 2, but also largely reduces the manufacturing cost of the holding structure.

Please refer to FIGS. 5A and 5B that are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the fourth embodiment is generally structurally similar to the previous embodiments, except for a through hole 25 and a lengthened projected section 232. The through hole 25 is formed on the open surface 26 of the base 2 at an area adjacent to one sidewall 231 of the receiving recess 23, and the lengthened projected section 232 is formed on the other sidewall 231 of the receiving recess 23 to correspond to the through hole 25. Through the stamping process, the projected section 232 is flatly pressed against the top surface 31 of the heat pipe 3 with a free end thereof correspondingly extended into the through hole 25, so that the heat pipe 3 is closely and firmly held to the base 2 In the fourth embodiment, the lengthened projected section 232 is still formed using a part material of the base 2, particularly the open surface 26, without the need of using other element or extra material to hold down the heat pipe 3, which enables the holding structure to have largely reduced manufacturing cost.

The projected sections 232 are not necessarily formed using a part material of the open surfaces 26 of the base 2 as that shown in FIGS. 2A, 3, 4 and 5A. Please refer to FIG. 6 that shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the fifth embodiment is generally structurally similar to the previous embodiments, except that the projected sections 232 are formed using a part material of the sidewalls 231. In this case, the openings 24 are formed on the sidewalls 231 at positions adjacent to the projected sections 232. That is, the sidewalls 231 of the receiving recess 23 are stamped to form the openings 24 and the projected sections 232. Finally, the projected sections 232 are bent through the stamping process to firmly hold the heat pipe 3 to the base 2. Again, according to the fifth embodiment, the holding structure of the present invention not only enables close and firm holding of the heat pipe 3 to the base 2, but also has largely reduced manufacturing cost.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the sixth embodiment is generally structurally similar to the previous embodiments, except that some of the projected sections 232 are formed using a part material of the open surfaces 26 while others using a part material of the sidewalls 231. All these projected sections 232 are bent through the stamping process to flatly press against the top surface 31 of the heat pipe 3. Again, according to the sixth embodiment, the holding structure of the present invention not only enables close and firm holding of the heat pipe 3 to the base 2, but also has largely reduced manufacturing cost.

In conclusion, the present invention has the following advantages: (1) being produced at largely reduced manufacturing cost; and (2) enabling close and tight contact of the heat pipe with the base.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A structure for holding a heat pipe to a base, comprising: a base having a first side and an opposite second side, and being formed at a middle portion with a receiving recess, such that a sidewall is raised from either lateral side of the receiving recess; each of the sidewalls having at least one upward projected section formed using a part material of the base, such that portions of the base adjacent to the projected sections respectively forming an opening; and a heat pipe being laid in the receiving recess and having a top surface and a bottom surface; and the projected sections being bent to flatly press against the top surface of the heat pipe.
 2. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the openings are extended from the first side to the second side to penetrate through the base.
 3. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top surface of the heat pipe is flush with the first side of the base.
 4. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base is shaped through a mechanical process.
 5. The holding structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mechanical process is stamping.
 6. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat pipe and the base are held together through a mechanical process.
 7. The holding structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the mechanical process is selected from the group consisting of stamping and rolling.
 8. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is a flat heat pipe.
 9. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projected section has a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangular, a round, a triangular and any other geometrical shape.
 10. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base is formed at an area adjacent to one sidewall of the receiving recess with a through hole, and the projected section is formed on the other sidewall of the receiving recess corresponding to the through hole, such that the projected section flatly pressed against the top surface of the heat pipe has a free end extended into the through hole.
 11. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein portions of the base located at two lateral sides of the receiving recess form two raised open surfaces, and the openings being formed on the two open surfaces.
 12. The holding structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the openings are formed on the sidewalls at positions corresponding to the projected sections. 